Key holder



Jan. 13, 1953 E. G. DIMOND KEY HOLDER Filed Aug. 6, 1949 INVENTOR. [020/0 G fl/a/nono ATTOK/VIFKS Patented Jan. 13, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE -KE HOLDER -,Edwin GeDimond, Flint, Mich.

Application August-6, 1949;Seriil No. 1095023 This invention relates :to a -keyholder, and has especially to d with a key case in which the keys are suspended by means of elastic members.

In key cases of conventional design, where the keys are suspended in the 'case by means of threaded studs and sleeves or metal s'pring clips, the keys very often become lost :by reason of the breaking of the spring clip or by the loosening of the studs holding the keys. The use of metal clips for supporting keys in ,a key case is :also objectionable because the clips and the keys :invariably become entangled Withnne another and offer considerable .difiiculty to the user Whoa17- tempts toselect a particularkey for use. 1I n.key cases formed of leather or other pliablematerial, theuse of metal fasteners and metal key clips imparts .to the key .case, after a relatively short time, an unsightly shape and appearance, and the metal .partsoften become exposedand cause wear onthe pockets of the user.

It is an object of this invention to provide a key holding member of elastic material which is arranged to snugly embrace the head of a key and thereby retain it in a manner in which the key is unlikely to become loosened or lost. More specifically, the invention contemplates a key holding device in the form of a rubber cap which is aranged to be stretched over the head of a key for suspending the key in a key case.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a key case in which the keys are supported by flexible and preferably elastic members which are relatively self-supporting and which, therefore, tend to maintain the keys in an orderly fashion within the case.

A further object of the invention concerns the provision of a key case made of rubber, which is adapted to maintain its shape, the case being characterized by the provision of rubber fastening means for closing the case as well as for supporting the keys in the case so that the objectionable features associated with key cases having metal fasteners are eliminated in a key case of my construction.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a key case of my invention with a cover for the case in the open position.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of a key case.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 in Figure 2.

.2 Glaims (01.;1-50-40) iii Figure :4 ;is. .a sectional view :taken .along lines 4+! in Figure 2 showingmore particularly the key supporting-members of .my invention.

Referring to the drawings, :the key case .comprises-a flat rectangularicontainer, generally indicated .as ill), having side walls .12, top and bottom :walls 14 and 1 5, respectively, a rear wall ligand an opening 11 at the front face thereof. Container I ilis'preferably formed as-mo'lded rubber and 'has a cover member 18 which closes opening 1''! and forms a front wall for the container. Cover I8 is connected along one edge with the frontedee of bottom wall 15 as at :28. Along its-opposite :freeedge cover 18 is provided with a Eflap member 22 which projects from the inner face of the cover and is arranged to overlie top wall 14 of container I0. Along its free edge, flap 22 is 'prov-ided-with-adepending flange 24 which, when the cover is in the closed position, engages behind rear wall It along the upper edge thereof, as is best shown in Figure 2. Cover '18 may be secured to container Ill, as at 20, by a suitable rubber adhesive.

Cover 18 and container H] are preferably molded from a rubber of sufficient hardness so that they will be relatively self-supporting and will retain their shape. Under such circumstances, cover I8 will normally tend to remain in or return to the closed position. The case may be opened by simply disengaging flange 24 from behind rear wall l6 and bending the cover forwardly and downwardly so as to expose the interior of the container.

Within the container and at the upper end thereof, there is secured by a suitable adhesive a support bar 28 which is also formed of rubber. Bar 26 is of fairly heavy construction and reinforces case ill at the upper portion thereof. Keys 28 are arranged to be suspended from bar 26 by means of flexible suspension members 30. Members 30 are preferably molded integrally with bar 26, but, if desired, may be secured thereto by adhesive. Members 30 are preferably arranged in two spaced rows, one behind the other, the members in one row being staggered with reference to the members in the other row.

At their lower ends, the suspension members are each provided with an elastic cap member 32 which in the unstretched condition are dimensioned smaller than the head of a key. Caps 32 may be enlarged by stretching so as to enable the head of a key to be inserted therein. In order to prevent the keys from falling out of caps 32, the caps are provided with an opening 34 at the lower end thereof which is smaller in size than the internal dimension of the cap above the opening. When the cap is stretched over the head of a key, the mouth of the cap is adapted to engage the edge portions of the head of the key which converge into the key shank 36. Members 30 are dimensioned such as to be self-supporting so that they normally tend to maintain the keys within the case in an orderly aligned fashion.

When it is desired to use one of the keys within the case, the user simply disengages flange 24 from behind wall [6 and bends cover l8 downwardly to the open position shown in Figure 1. Then with the same hand, he can select the proper key and pull it outwardly to stretch and bend the member 30 by which the key is suspended from within the case. It will be noted that the entire operation can be performed with one hand thus leaving the other hand free for carrying packages and the like. When the key is released, member 30 automatically springs back to the straight position and the key is returned to its normal position within the case.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a key case which is convenient to use and in which the use of metal fastening devices is completely eliminated. By forming the case out of a rubber of suflicient hardness to remain relatively stifi, it will be appreciated that the case will not become distorted in time so as to present an unsightly appearance. It will also be noted that the provision of rubber suspension members 30 prevents the keys from becoming entangled within the case and facilitates the ready selection of the desired key. At the same time, rubber caps 32 insure again-st loss of the keys and maintain the keys in an orderly fashion within the case. Caps 32, it will be noted, are readily stretchable so as to accommodate keys having heads of different sizes and shapes.

I claim:

1. In a key case including a container, the

combination of a supporting member within said container extending along and secured to one end of the container, said supporting member having a plurality of integral fingers depending therefrom, said finger extending in parallel, spaced relation and being formed of a resilient material which is sufiiciently rigid and self-supporting to maintain said fingers in said parallel, spaced relation, and means integrally connected with the free ends of said fingers for fixedly holding a key, whereby said fingers and the said key holding means tend to maintain the keys in an orderly, aligned position within said container.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said key holding means comprises cap members integrally connected with the free ends of said fingers, said cap members being formed of an elastic material and being dimensioned in the unstretched condition smaller than the head of a key to be retained thereby.

EDWIN G. DIMOND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 881,391 Ubellar Sept. 18, 1906 1,789,373 Smith Jan. 20, 1931 1,868,563 Cicourel July 26, 1932 1,906,858 Hilly-ard May 2, 1933 1,966,937 Segal July 17, 1934 2,071,757 Matthews Feb. 23, 1937 2,086,378 Butler July 6, 1937 2,119,068 Baughman et a1. May 31, 1938 2,294,661 Hibbard Sept. 1, 1942 2,479,524 Tarbox Aug. 16, 1949 

